 the new time had begun to reign.
    After a rather unsuccessful autumn season then, during which he was
faithfully followed by Mr. Morgan, his nephew Arthur being engaged, as we have
seen, at Clavering, it happened that Major Pendennis came back for a while to
London, at the dismal end of October, when the fogs and the lawyers come to
town. Who has not looked with interest at those loaded cabs, piled boxes, and
crowded children, rattling through the streets on the dun October evenings -
stopping at the dark houses, where they discharge nurse and infant, girls,
matron and father, whose holidays are over? Yesterday it was France and
sunshine, or Broadstairs and liberty; to-day comes work and a yellow fog; and,
ye gods! what a heap of bills there lies in Master's study. And the clerk has
brought the lawyer's papers from Chambers; and in half an hour the literary man
knows that the printer's boy will be in the passage; and Mr. Smith with that
little account (that particular little account) has called presentient of your
arrival, and has left word that he will call to-morrow morning at ten. Who
amongst us has not said good-bye to his holiday; returned to dun London, and his
fate; surveyed his labours and liabilities laid out before him, and been aware
of that inevitable little account to settle? Smith and his little account in the
morning symbolize duty, difficulty, struggle, which you will meet, let us hope,
friend, with a manly and honest heart. - And you think of him, as the children
are slumbering once more in their own beds, and the watchful housewife tenderly
pretends to sleep.
    Old Pendennis had no special labours or bills to encounter on the morrow, as
he had no affection at home to soothe him. He had always money in his desk
sufficient for his wants; and being by nature and habit tolerably indifferent to
the wants of other people, these latter were not likely to disturb him. But a
gentleman may be out of temper though he does not owe a shilling; and though he
may be ever so selfish, he must occasionally feel dispirited and lonely. He had
had two or three twinges of gout in the country house where he had been staying;
the birds were wild and shy, and the walking over the ploughed fields had
fatigued him deucedly; the young men had laughed at him, and he had been peevish
at table once or twice; he had not been able to get his whist of an evening
